Two Worlds, One Connection
by rhodesXmorrisonXorton
Summary: A quick yet detailed short story of a rich, young aristocrat and an orphaned peasant girl…


**One-shot: Two Worlds, One Connection**

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><p><strong>Brief Description:<strong> _A quick yet detailed short story of a rich, young aristocrat and an orphaned peasant girl…_

**Author's Note:** _I thought about this one-shot idea, and since I haven't written any Wade Barrett stuff, I thought I'd write a one-shot with him in it. Hope y'all enjoy this one! Oh by the way, the title is kinda lame…since I didn't have any other ideas…_

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><p>Scurrying through the darkened streets of London, she had nowhere to go. With just a knitted shawl and a pouch of her most important belongings, she wanted a place for shelter. She held her shawl close to her body, shivering as the rain pattered all over her already drenched clothes. It had been hours since she'd escaped the orphanage; she, just an eight year old, was fed up with the horrendous treatment she frequently received from the nurses. Crouching down by a short flight of stairs that led to an abandoned townhouse, she sat there, for she was too tired to run any further.<p>

Meanwhile, a old-fashioned black sedan drove through the stone roads, rainwater pooled into large, messy puddles. Inside, a couple in their late thirties and a young boy drove frantically through the streets, desperately wanting to reach home as quickly as possible. This task was exceedingly difficult, for it was dark outside and the driver had trouble seeing the roads. Squinting his eyes, all he could make out of the pouring rainstorm were the dimly lit streetlamps that ran along the sidewalks.

Suddenly, the young boy cried out, "STOP!", making the sedan skid to a sudden halt. His mother, appalled at what a fright her son had given the driver, scolded him softly. Yet the boy whose hair was slicked back with gel refused to listen to his mother, commanding his father to turn around.

He had spotted what appeared to be an unusually shaped statue perched by the steps leading to an abandoned townhouse. However, when he caught a pair of eyes peeking out at him, he realized that statue was no inanimate object. It was a person, either a child or a rather small sized human being. Somehow he sensed that he needed to help them; he felt sorry for the poor soul with no proper shelter or clothing. Before his mother or father could stop him, he swung open the car door and jumped out with a black brolly, rushing over to the little person that sat by the steps.

"Hello there." The girl jumped when she noticed the boy standing before her with an umbrella, something she desperately needed at that very moment.

"Who are you?" she inquired curiously. The boy caught the high-pitched accent and assumed it was a girl of his age.

"We'll have time for questions later, let's go," said the boy, grabbing her hand and persuading her to join him.

"But…"

Before she could say another word, he pulled her by the arm and sprinted towards the black sedan, where his surprised parents waited for him. Both father and mother were astounded at their son's kind deed, helping someone who needed a place to stay, but both were mortified at their son offering some rugged stranger a ride back to their luxurious mansion.

The girl was absolutely confused at what was going on at the moment. Just five minutes ago, she was shivering under the pouring rain. Now, she was sitting in the warmth of a black sedan next to the boy who offered her a ride to whatever mansion he lived in; she could tell his family fortune from the way he and his parents were dressed so elegantly.

"Stuart Bennett, who…or _what_ _on earth_ is that?" gasped the woman in the front seat.

The girl felt rather out of place, blushing in embarrassment as her new friend defended her from his mother. "Mum, she's got nowhere to stay and she obviously doesn't have the necessities to live. I couldn't leave her outside, freezing to death without warm clothes or a brolly!" he protested. The girl realized he was still holding her hand and blushed a deeper shade of red.

"Mary, I do agree with our son, she's only a child," said the driver upfront, whom the girl supposed was the boy's…er…Stuart's father, "why don't we give her a bath, fresh set of clothes, and a meal before we discuss this matter?"

Crouched in front of a blazing fireplace, the girl wrapped a blanket around herself despite already having been cleaned, scrubbed, and redressed in clothes she dreamed of wearing since she was little. Her hair still wet from her bath, she wondered how on earth she ended up in this fine, lush mansion in the first place, wondering why in the world anyone like Stuart Bennett would take pity on some orphaned street rat like her. Taking in the expensive china, leather furniture, and silk curtains, she could hardly believe people could actually afford all these luxuries. Never in her life had she imagined there were ordinary people who lived the lives of kings and queens.

"Are you feeling better now?" she instantly recognized that voice as Stuart's. Tearing her eyes away from the fire, she watched him walk towards her and take a seat next to her. Stuart smiled at her, noticing how pretty her bright blue eyes glowed from the blazing flames of the fireplace.

"Much better, thank you very much," she replied, "…Stuart…Bennett…am I right?"

"How did you know?" inquired Stuart curiously.

"I have ears you know," she remarked, "your mother so conveniently announced your name whilst I was trembling from head to toe in your sedan."

"Then may I ask for your name?" asked Stuart, grinning.

"Madeline Roberts," she said with a radiant smile.

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><p><em>Twenty years later…<em>

Stuart Bennett had just recently returned from his business trip in France. Handing the driver a tip, he dragged his travel bag up the slope that led to the mansion that he inherited from his now-deceased parents. Two weeks had passed since he'd been called to France to meet with an entrepreneur wanting to make a deal over some new products. Those two weeks had been far too long away from Madeline Roberts.

Over twenty years had passed since their first meeting, when he found Madeline stranded by herself in the thundering rainstorm on a cold London evening. His soul had been so kind to offer her a ride, new clothes on her back, and a proper meal, only to discover that she was a runaway from an orphanage with horrendous conditions and ill treatment towards the children. His parents, especially his mother, initially had been quite reluctant to allow his new friend to stay with them, but upon learning of her estranged past, they eventually gave into an eight-year-old Stuart's pleas and gave her a new home in the mansion, where she worked as a maidservant till Lady Bennett's passing and Master Bennett's eventual death a year ago from tuberculosis. Afterwards, Madeline Roberts was no longer obligated as a house servant and free to pursue her own ambitions.

Throughout her stay at the Bennett's spacious, luxury mansion, the youngest Bennett bonded with his newest friend, chatting with her as she worked, taking her out to play when his parents weren't home, and visiting her in her chambers at night when she was done with chores. Sometimes he would steal little gifts just for her, like flowers, chocolates, cookies, and old jewelry that his mother didn't want anymore or nifty things he found in the shops. Their friendship since childhood had been nothing but special, for when he was eight, Stuart Bennett hadn't met any girl whom he could get along with until Madeline came into his life.

When he entered his late teen years, his feelings for her began expanding beyond the limits of best friends. Stuart recalled that one morning when he and his parents were enjoying their breakfast and a sixteen-year-old Madeline Roberts took his breath away. It was as though she had blossomed overnight into a beautiful rose; her mousy brown hair now a rich, gleaming medium golden brown, her eyes a sultry ocean blue, her complexion fair and rosy, her 5'9'', willowy figure gracefully gliding as she walked past him with a tray of coffee and tea. Stuart, then the same age as the dark-haired beauty, was left speechless. Since that very day, she never failed to take his breath away, and that was when his growing feelings for Madeline turned into something more.

Ignoring his mother's orders on forbidding his feelings towards the brunette beauty, Stuart secretly began a romance with Madeline when they were nearing eighteen, keeping their conversations as subtle as possible during the day, but whenever night fell, their love would be brought alive. During the night they met up secretly in the gardens or in his chambers, showing each other love and affection. He recalled the night before he set off for the prestigious Oxford University, when they gave themselves to each other and promised to stay faithful to their relationship.

Whilst Stuart studied for his degree at Oxford, Madeline remained in London and was able to receive a proper education at London University, with permission of the Bennetts, of course. She was able to purchase herself a small apartment home in the outskirts of downtown, for her masters had given her more freedom upon reaching adulthood. Stuart visited London whenever he could, making the best out of every trip back home just to see his parents and the love of his life, Madeline, who was waiting for him behind the very door he had just unlocked.

"Madeline! Doll! I'm home!" Stuart called to the expansive mansion, setting down his bags and venturing around the house in search of his beautiful Madeline. He jogged up the grand staircase and up to their bedroom, knowing very well where she could be at eleven in the morning.

Just as he'd suspected, Madeline lay in their four-poster bed, her body turned sideways and her body entirely wrapped in a sheet. Stuart took a moment to simply revel in her this way, the way she slept so peacefully like an angel sent down from above. She was his little piece of heaven, after all.

Stripping down to his boxers, Stuart stepped into the other side of the bed and silently crept up behind the sleeping beauty, wrapping his arms around her slender waist. God, he'd missed her flowery scent, her warm, soft skin, her tall, feminine frame, everything. He felt her shift in his embrace and he smiled; he could tell she was in a dream that turned to a reality.

Madeline had been in the midst of one of the many dreams involving the man she'd been in love with for twenty years. She was imagining him and her together on an island located in the tropics, frolicking in the sand and making love as the waves washed over their bodies. She frowned when the salty sea breeze suddenly disappeared and caught the scent of cologne over her shoulder. She shifted slightly and felt a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. Blinking her eyes open, she awoke from her sleep just in time to feel someone pushing her hair aside and sucking on the tender spot of her neck.

"Wake up, Doll," a familiar, husky voice whispered in her ear, his hot breath making her shiver.

Madeline's eyes shot wide open, instantly recognizing that alto British accent. A smile spreads across her lips as she wiggled herself till she could grab Stuart's face and pull him in for a kiss. Oh, how she missed being his arms and kissing him like there was no tomorrow. It had been far too long since they'd been together.

"When did you get back?" Madeline gasped breathlessly when she finally managed to break the scorching kiss.

"Not long ago, Doll," replied Stuart, caressing her cheeks with his large thumbs, "I missed you so much."

"You have no idea," she giggled, crawling out of bed. She had only taken a few steps away from the bed when she realized Stuart was staring at her naked frame. Blushing, she quickly grabbed a robe before he could pounce on her. Stuart followed, pulling on his jeans and dress shirt.

"I have something for you, love," Stuart whispered huskily into her ear with a grin, "something I've been wanting to get you from France for a while."

"Oooh, I'm excited to see what it is," said Madeline excitedly, turning around to find herself in his arms once again. It didn't take long before Stuart parted away from her, fumbled through the pockets of his coat, and pulled out something she couldn't quite see.

Her eyebrows shot up and her eyes shot wide open when he took her hand in his, showed her a small velvet box, and got down on one knee. Her heart instantly melted at the way Stuart gazed at her so lovingly, his green eyes twinkling at her. He flashed her a dazzling smile with his pearly whites and she swore her ovaries exploded right there.

"Madeline Roberts, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Within a heartbeat, it was no question that Madeline would jump into his arms and embrace him, her heart pouring with happiness. For twenty years this man had been her best friend, her soul mate, and the love of her life, and now he was her husband-to-be. Perhaps no other love story could have dated back when as much as the relationship between Madeline and Stuart.


End file.
